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  Apparatus, method, and program for communicationUSPTO Application #: 20070183786Title: Apparatus, method, and program for communication Abstract: A communication apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus includes a transmission unit adapted to transmit data via a network, a receiving unit adapted to receive data supplied via the network, an interface unit adapted to supply to-be-transmitted data to the transmission unit and extract particular information from data received by the receiving unit, and a control unit configured to control an operation state of the interface unit. (end of abstract)
Agent: Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, LLP - Chicago, IL, US Inventors: Mitsuki Hinosugi, Hiroshi Kyusojin, Hideki Matsumoto, Masato Kajimoto, Tsuyoshi Kano USPTO Applicaton #: 20070183786 - Class: 398140 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070183786. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]The present application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application JP 2006-030485 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Feb. 8, 2006, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND [0002]The present disclosure relates to an apparatus, method and program for communication, and more particularly, to an apparatus, method and program for communication, which allow a reduction in power consumption. [0003]In an Ethernet.RTM. network system, it is known to perform auto-negotiation to optimize communication (see for example, IEEE Std 802.3-2002 Section Two, "28. Physical Layer link signaling for 10 Mb/s, 100 Mb/s and 1000 Mb/s Auto-Negotiation on twisted pair", 8 Mar. 2002, Pages 213-260, IEEE). In the auto-negotiation, a network device sends a pulse signal (a link pulse signal) to another network device with which to communicate to notify it of the allowable communication speed or the communication mode. [0004]However, the auto-negotiation is for optimization of communication, but reduction in power consumption of network devices connected to each other is not taken into account. [0005]In recent years, a great increase in the communication speed has been achieved, and a corresponding increase in the operating frequency and operating speed of network devices have been achieved. However, this results in an increase in power consumption, and thus there is now a need to reduce the power consumption. [0006]In the case of a 10 Gigabit Ethernet.RTM. system according to the standard IEEE802.2ae established by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers), it is required to use an optical cable as a transmission medium to achieve a high transmission speed. However, a network device adapted to transmit/receive an optical signal needs high power consumption, and thus it is very desirable to reduce the power consumption. SUMMARY [0007]In view of the above, the present embodiments provide a technique to reduce power consumption, as described below in detail. [0008]According to an embodiment, a communication apparatus is provided comprising a transmission unit adapted to transmit data via a network, a receiving unit adapted to receive data supplied via the network, and an interface unit adapted to supply to-be-transmitted data to the transmission unit and extract particular information from data received by the receiving unit, the communication apparatus further comprising control means for controlling an operation state of the interface unit. [0009]In this communication apparatus, the interface unit may include a data shaping/analyzing unit and an encoding/decoding unit, the data shaping/analyzing unit being adapted to shape data to be transmitted and analyze received data, the encoding/decoding unit being adapted to encode data to be transmitted and decode received data, and the control means may control both the data shaping/analyzing unit and the encoding/decoding unit. [0010]In the communication apparatus, the control means may control switching of the operation state of the interface unit between a transmission/reception-enabled state in which a process associated with transmission of data to be transmitted and a process associated with reception of incoming data are possible and a sleep state in which operation is stopped to reduce power consumption. [0011]In the communication apparatus, the control means may include state setting means for outputting state setting information indicating an operation state into which to set the communication apparatus, and the interface unit may switch the operation state in accordance with the state setting information set by the state setting means. [0012]In the communication apparatus, the state setting means may output, as the state setting information, information indicating one of the following four states: an idle state in which transmission and reception of information is possible; an active state in which an information processing apparatus adapted to transmit and receive data via the communication apparatus is in a transmission/reception--enabled state in which transmission/reception is possible and the interface unit is in a sleep state in which operation is stopped to reduce power consumption; a passive state in which both the interface unit and the information processing apparatus adapted to transmit and receive data via the communication apparatus are in the sleep state; and an off-state in which no electric power is supplied and no operation is performed, and when the state setting information specifies the active state or the passive state, the interface unit may go into the sleep state, while when state setting information specifies the idle state, the interface unit may go into the state in which transmission and reception are possible. [0013]In the communication apparatus, the control means may further include state notification producing means for producing, in accordance with the state setting information, state notification information which indicates the operation state of the present communication apparatus and which is to be sent to another communication apparatus via the transmission unit. [0014]In the communication apparatus, the state notification producing means may output a link pulse signal such that when the state setting information indicates the active state, the state notification producing means outputs an active link pulse signal corresponding to the active state, while when the state setting information indicates the passive state, the state notification producing means outputs a passive link pulse: signal corresponding to the possible state and being different from the active link pulse signal. [0015]In the communication apparatus, the transmission unit may be an optical transmitter adapted to output signal light, and the state notification producing means may operate such that when the state setting information specifies the idle state, the state notification producing means makes the transmission unit start outputting the signal light, when the state setting information specifies the off-state, the state notification producing means makes the transmission unit stop outputting the signal light, when the state setting information specifies the active state, the state notification producing means controls turning-on/off of the signal light output by the transmission unit so as to output the active link pulse signal, and when the state setting information specifies the passive state, the state notification producing means controls turning-on/off of the signal light output by the transmission unit so as to output the passive link pulse signal. [0016]In the communication apparatus, the control means may further include state notification detection means for detecting state notification information supplied from another communication apparatus, from the signal received by the receiving unit, and the state setting means may output the state setting information according to a result of the detection by the state notification detection means. [0017]In the communication apparatus, the state setting means may set the state setting information such that when the state setting information indicates the idle state, if the result of the detection by the state notification detection means is a failure of detection of the received signal by the receiving unit, or if the result of the detection is a detection of a passive link pulse signal in the form of a pulse sequence corresponding to the passive state, then the state setting means sets the state setting information so as to indicate the active state, if the information processing apparatus is in the transmission/reception-enabled state. [0018]In the communication apparatus, the state setting means may set the state setting information such that when the state setting information indicates the idle state, if the result of the detection by the state notification detection means is a failure of detection of the received signal or if the result of the detection is a detection of a passive link pulse signal in the form of a pulse sequence corresponding to the passive state, then the state setting means sets the state setting information so as to indicate the passive state, if the information processing apparatus is in the sleep state. [0019]In the communication apparatus, the state setting means may set the state setting information such that when the state setting information indicates the active state, if the result of the detection by the state notification detection means is a detection of the received signal over a predetermined period of time or if the result of the detection is a detection of an active link pulse signal in the form of a pulse sequence corresponding to the active state, then the state setting means sets the state setting information so as to indicate the idle state. [0020]In the communication apparatus, the state setting means may set the state setting information such that when the state setting information indicates the passive state, if the result of the detection by the state notification detection means is a detection of the received signal over a predetermined period of time or if the result of the detection is a detection of an active link pulse signal in the form of a pulse sequence corresponding to the active state, then the state setting means sets the state setting information so as to indicate the idle state and furthermore the state setting means outputs activation control information to the information processing apparatus to change the state of the information processing apparatus from the sleep state into the transmission/reception-enabled state. [0021]In the communication apparatus, the receiving unit may be an optical receiver adapted to receive an optical signal, and the state notification detection means may detect a state notification on the basis of a turning-on/off pattern of the optical signal received by the receiving unit. Continue reading... Full patent description for Apparatus, method, and program for communication Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Apparatus, method, and program for communication patent application. 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